This invention relates to an improved fuel device for a gasoline engine and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to the heating of non-leaded gasoline, alcohol, or the like, which is mixed with air and introduced directly through a throttle housing into the intake manifold of the engine.
Heretofore there have been various types of fuel supply systems, apparatus, and methods of pre-heating air fuel mixtures for supplying an internal combustion engine. These devices provide a more efficient system for improving the efficiency of the internal combustion engine. In particular U.S. Pat. No. 3,713,429 to Dwyre discloses a fuel economizer system for a gasoline engine. In this system, gasoline is heated in an auxiliary tank heated by a fluid heated by the engine. The heated fluid may be the engine's hot water from the cooling system or from exhaust gas from the engine. Air is introduced into the fuel in the auxiliary tank, and the vapors from the tank are distributed to the engine's carburetor.
While some of the features in the Dwyre patent are similar to the subject invention, the invention eliminates the use of the engine carburetor and provides specific advantages and structural differences for a more efficient means of supplying an air fuel mixture to the engine. cl SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The subject invention provides a more efficient system for supplying a complete air fuel mixture which is completely burned in the engine thereby reducing incomplete combustion in the engine and producing greater gas mileage.
The invention supplies the engine with a heated air fuel mixture in a vapor form thereby eliminating the need of a carburetor. The invention provides a novel throttle housing having a plurality of butterfly valves for accurately controlling the amount of air mixed with the air fuel mixture.
A reactor housing which supplies the air fuel mixture to the engine provides for pre-heating the air fuel mixture and collecting any condensed fuel prior to the air fuel mixture being supplied to the throttle housing. The invention also provides for cold weather starting by pre-heating the fuel supply to the reactor housing and also supplying liquid fuel directly to the throttle housing until the engine temperature is increased so that the air fuel mixture can be supplied directly from the reactor housing.
The fuel device for a gasoline engine includes a throttle housing mounted on top of the engine and communicably connected to the intake manifold. The housing includes an air intake port for receiving air and includes a choke butterfly valve connected to the engine's choke and an air intake butterfly valve attached to the accelerator pedal of the engine. The housing further includes an air fuel intake port for receiving the air fuel mixture. An air fuel butterfly valve is mounted in the air fuel intake port and is pivotally attached to the air intake butterfly valve and is responsive to the movement of the air intake butterfly valve. A reactor housing for supplying the air fuel mixture to the engine is communicably connected to the fuel tank of the engine by a reactor fuel supply line. An air fuel supply line is connected to the reactor housing and the air fuel intake port for supplying the air fuel mixture thereto. A hot water supply line and a hot water return line are connected to the engine's cooling system for supplying hot water to a coiled water circulating line mounted in the bottom of the reactor housing. The coiled water circulating line heats the fuel in the reactor housing into a vapor. A reactor housing air filter is mounted adjacent the reactor housing and communicably connected to the reactor housing for supplying air which is mixed with the fuel in the reactor housing.